1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to structures positioned to protect birds from electrical contact with live electrical wires. More specifically, this invention relates to a protector for association with a support structure, such as a utility pole, to preclude electrical contact by the bird with two live electrical wires attached to the support structure.
2. State of the Art
Support structures such as utility poles are used to suspend electrical wires above the ground. The support structures are all positioned outdoors and may be of a variety of different sizes, shapes and configurations. The structures are configured to support one or more of a plurality of wires. The wires of concern are those used to transmit electrical energy or electrical power for commercial or private use and which pose a shock hazard to birds if they cause a short between two separate wires.
It is known that birds from time to time alight or perch on the support structure such as power poles. For selected birds, the wing spans are sufficient so that a bird can contact two parallel wires when taking off or landing thereby causing an electrical short and thereby injuring or killing the bird. In addition to the loss of the bird, a short can cause a power outage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,528 (Blankenship) discloses a unit for use on a power pole to provide an elevated roost or perch for raptors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,844 (Hoggard et al.) also shows a device that is attached to the cross bar of an electrical power pole to inhibit birds from landing on the cross bar. U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,721 (Richard et al.) shows a device that is positioned on a wire to inhibit horizontal movement of small animals such as squirrels along the wire.
Kaddas Enterprises, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah has for some time offered a protector that has a central dish-like structure for positioning over an insulator mounted on a utility pole. The insulator is used to mount the power line or wire to the pole. Extensions are unitarily formed with the central dish-like structure to extend in opposite directions along the wire mounted to the insulator. The extensions are sized to extend a distance selected so that a large bird, such as a raptor, perching on the cross bar of the pole or on the dish-like structure would not cause a short upon extending its wings to land or take off from the perched position.
There is a need for protectors that may be used in a variety of different applications in a number of different configurations.